Laundry machines



April 5, 1966 w. R. NORGAARD LAUNDRY MACHINES Filed Aug. 30, 1965 INVENTOR.

WARREN R/c/mna/Vonmmz ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,243,977 LAUNDRY MACHINES Warren Richard Norgaard, Coiona, 111., assignor to Ametek, Inn, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. St $863, Ser. No. 305,765

4 Claims. (Cl. 68139) The present invention relates to laundry machines and particularly to an improved latch for the door of laundry machines.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an automatic locking latch for laundry machine doors that will be effective and prevent opening of the door throughout the entire cycle of operation of the laundry machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a locking latch that cannot be released while electrical power is applied to the driving portions of the laundry machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a locking latch that is operated by a solenoid that is wired into the circuit for the cycle tirner of the laundry machine such that upon energizing the circuit, the locking latch becomes effective and prevents opening of the door of the laundry machine until the entire cycle of operations has been completed or until an electrical power supply failure occurs.

In one aspect of the invention, a laundry machine may include an article holding basket adapted to be rotated about a horizontal axis within a housing having a frustoconical shield portion surrounding an opening in the front wall of the housing leading to the interior of the basket.

In another aspect of the invention, a door may be hinged to the frusto-conical shield portion and it may comprise an annular portion having ear portions extending diametrically from each side thereof.

In still another aspect of the invention, a resilient gasket having internally and externally facing grooves may be applied to the annular portion of the door such that it mates with the externally facing groove, and a glass or transparent window may include a peripheral flange that mates with the internally fac ng groove within the gasket.

In still another aspect of the invention, a finger operated spring latch may be pivotally mounted on the ear portion of the door opposite the door hinge, and it may include an end portion that extends through a slot within a plate mounted on the frusto-conical shield portion. The construction is such that the latch is normally spring urged in a direction such that the end extending through the plate slot engages the back of the plate, thereby preventing the opening of the door, and by pushing the thumb portion of the latch toward the door, the latch is released, permitting opening of the door.

In still another aspect of the invention, a locking lever may be pivotally attached to the slotted plate and it may include a portion adapted to gravitate into interference with the latch to prevent its release and hence prevent opening of the door. The locking lever may include a portion on the opposite side of its pivot from that of the interfering portion thereof for cooperation with a magnetic coil or solenoid. The construction may be such that the armature of the solenoid may, when the solenoid is de-energized, fall into engagement with the portion of the locking lever opposite the interfering portion, causing the latter to pivot out of interfering position, thereby permitting the door to be opened. However, when the solenoid is energized, the interfering portion of the locking lever gravitates into interfering position with the latch.

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In still another aspect of the invention, the solenoid may be connected into the circuit for the cycle timer of the laundry machine so that when power flows through said circuit, the solenoid is energized and the door is locked. Also, the arrangement can be such that the door must be shut and the door switch actuated before the machine will operate or the door lock be energized.

The above, other objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing which are merely exemplary.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a laundry machine to which the principles of the invention have been applied;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective sectional View of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the principles of the invention are shown as applied to a laundry machine including a housing having a frusto-conical sheet material shield 11 surrounding an opening within the front wall of housing 10 that leads to a chamber in which a material holding basket is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis.

A door 12 for closing the opening leading to the basket is shown as being provided with a hinge 13 that is mounted on the shield 11. Door 12 may comprise an annular element 14 having ear portions 15 and 16 extending diametrically from each side thereof, the hinge 13 being connected to the ear portion 15. A resilient gasket 17 (see also FIG. 3) may include an externally facing groove 18 adapted to receive the inner peripheral edge of the annular element 14. Gasket 17 may also include an inwardly facing groove 19 adapted to receive a flange 20 of a transparent window 21. Another outwardly facing groove 22 in gasket 17 provides a flange 23 adapted to be forced into sealing relation with the shield 11 surrounding the opening therein that leads to the material holding basket.

A bar or handle 24 may be attached to the ear portion 16 to facilitate opening and closing of the door 12. Referring to FIG. 3, a bracket 25 having portions 26, 27 and 28 may be fixed to the back of ear portion '36 adjacent a slot 29 therein. A latch member 36 may include a thumb element 3 1 and a hook element 32. which are connected by a section -33, said section passing through the slot 29 and being fixed to a pivot shaft 34.

The shaft 34 includes trunnions that are journaled in vertically aligned bearings within the portions 26 and 27 of bracket 25. Section 33 also extends through a slot 35 within a plate 36 (see also FIG. 2) that is attached to the shield 11 by screws 37 and spacers 38. The hook element 32 at the end of section 33 that passes through slot 35 is adapted in one pivotal position to overlie one edge of slot 35 to prevent door 12 from being opened. In its other pivotal position, which is attained by depressing thumb portion 31 of latch 3%, hook element 32 is aligned with slot 35 so that it can pass therethrough, permitting door 12 to be opened. A spring 39 may be located between the back side of thumb portion 31 and ear portion 16, normally to urge hook element 32 into locking relation with plate 36. An adjusting screw 43 may be threaded through the portion 28 of bracket 25, and a lock nut 41 may be provided for adjusting the counterclockwise movement of latch 36} by spring -39.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a pivot pin 42 in plate 36 may support a locking lever 43. lever 43 may include a portion 44 adapted normally to lie in interfering position with the hook element 32 or" latch 36 to prevent opening of door 12. In other words, the center of gravity of the lever 43 may be to the left of pivot pin 42,

or lever 43 may normally be urged in a counterclockwise direction about said pivot pin. The lever 43 may include a portion 45 that lies beneath an armature 46 of a. solenoid 47, or other suitable electromagnetic device, mounted on the backside of plate 36. Energizing solenoid 47 will raise armature 46 so that lever 43 falls or moves into interfering position with the hook element 32 of latch '30. De-energizing solenoid 47 causes armature 46 to fall, striking portion 45 of lever 43, thereby moving lever 43 out of interfering position with hook element 32 and permitting door 12 to be opened.

Preferably, the solenoid is connected into the electrical circuit for the components that efiFect the cyclic operation of the laundry machine.

details and certain tfeat-ures may be used without others without departing from the principles of the Whatis claimed is: 1L In a laundry machine, a housing having an Opening leading into a chamber therein, said housing being adapted 'to contain electrical components for effecting the cyclic operation of said machine; a door hinged to said housing including a handle supporting element; a

invention.

fixed handle on said supporting element; a latch separate from said handle, said latch having a thumb element and a hook element at opposite ends thereof and adapted to extend through a slot within said supporting element, said latch being pivoted to a bracket mounted on the back of said supporting element; a plate supported by said housing'and including a slot adapted to receive the hook element of said latch; means normally urging the hook element of said latch into locking relation with said plate, the construction and arrangement of the parts being such that pressure applied to said thumb element releases said hook element from said plate; a lever pivotally mounted adjacent the hook element of said latch and adapted normally to lie in a position intenfering with the movement of said hook element; means for'pivotally mounting of said lever rfor gravity movement, electromagentic means adapted when energized to permit the gravity movement of said lever to a position prohibiting movement of said hook element.

2. In a laundry machine according to claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic means is arranged above said lever whereby upon energization thereof said lever gravitationally moves into position prohibiting movement of said hook element.

3. In a laundry machine according to claim 1, wherein handle supporting element; a latch handle on said sup. porting element; a latch having a thumb element and a hook element at opposite ends thereof and adapted'to extend through a slot within said supporting'e'lement, said latch being pivoted to a bracket mounted on the back of said supporting element; a plate s upported-by said shieldand including a slot adapted to receive the hook element of said latch; means normally urging the hook element of said latch int-o locking relation with said plate, the construction and arrangement of the parts being such that pressure applied to said't-humb element releases said hook element from said plate; a-lever pivotally mounted adjacent the hook element of said latch and adapted normally to lie in a position interfering with the movement of said hook element; means for pivotally mounting said lever vfor gravity movement; electromagnetic means fixed to said shield and wired into the circuit of the electrical components of said machine adapted when energized to permit the gravity movement of said lever to a position prohibiting movement of said hook element. 7

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS V r 2,031,302 2/1936 Clark Q 292 1 28 X 2,279,656 4/ 1942 Chamberlin et all 6824 X 9/1963 Behrens et al. 6 Sl2.X.

FOREIGN PATENTS 209,313 "7/ 1957 Australia. 89 ,945 4/ 1962 Great Britain.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM I. PRICE. Examiner. I 

1. IN A LAUNDRY MACHINE, A HOUSING HAVING AN OPENING LEADING INTO A CHAMBER THEREIN, SAID HOUSING BEING ADAPTED TO CONTAIN ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FOR EFFECTING THE CYCLIC OPERATION OF SAID MACHINE; A DOOR HINGED TO SAID HOUSING INCLUDING A HANDLE SUPPORTING ELEMENT; A FIXED HANDLE ON SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENT; A LATCH SEPARATE FROM SAID HANDLE, SAID LATCH HAVING A THUMB ELEMENT AND A HOOK ELEMENT AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH A SLOT WITHIN SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENT, SAID LATCH BEING PIVOTED TO A BRACKET MOUNTED ON THE BACK OF SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENT; A PLATE SUPPORTED BY SAID HOUSING INCLUDING A SLOT ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE HOOK ELEMENT TO SAID LATCH; MEANS NORMALLY URGING THE HOOK ELEMENT OF SAID LATCH INTO LOCKING RELATION WITH SAID PLATE, THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE PARTS BEING SUCH THAT PRESSURE APPLIED TO SAID THUMB ELEMENT RELEASES SAID HOOK ELEMENT FROM SAID PLATE; A LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT THE HOOK ELEMENT OF SAID LATCH AND ADAPTED NORMALLY TO LIE IN A POSITION INTERFERING WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID HOOK ELEMENT; MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING OF SAID LEVER FOR GRAVITY MOVEMENT, ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS ADAPTED WHEN ENERGIZED TO PERMIT THE GRAVITY MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER TO A POSITION PROHIBITING MOVEMENT OF SAID HOOK ELEMENT. 